How Can UAE Brands Run a Successful Ramadan 2021 Marketing Campaign?

Ramadan Kareem is almost upon us. Prayers, fasting, charity, generosity, sacrifice, empathy and self-accountability are the pillars of this month. During this period of physical and spiritual elevation, Muslims fast and abstain from drinking, eating, smoking, immoral acts and anger.

The holy month is of great significance in Muslim countries, especially in the Middle East. Despite the fact that Dubai is a highly modernized city, the month of Ramadan is celebrated with more respect and dignity. During this time of the year the act of worship such as prayer, reading the Quran, generosity, and charity are encouraged.

When is Ramadan 2021?

Ramadan in UAE is most likely to fall on Monday, 12 April 2021 and end on Wednesday, 12 May 2021. However, it is not confirmed; the moon sighting determines the actual date. As per the UAE labor laws, working hours are reduced by two hours across all industries and business sectors for Muslims and non-Muslims both.

How Can Marketers Capitalize on this Holy Month?

Whether you are running a small business in UAE, or an established organization, Ramadan Kareem is a great opportunity for marketers and brands to earn more leads and generate more sales. There are a number of creative ways in which brands can effectively market during Ramadan 2021. By creating effective Ramadan marketing campaigns, brands can better position themselves in the market and grab the attention of more and more customers.

If you haven’t optimized your business strategy to engage and interact with people in Ramadan, now is the time to create an effective Ramadan 2021 marketing strategy to maximize your profits.

Plan Ahead

If you are planning to market your products or services during this holy month of Islam, you need to plan ahead. Start working on your campaign as soon as possible. From creating the marketing messages to designing a dedicated landing page, creating emails to making some important design changes to your website, planning early can save you time and bring a higher ROI.

Focus on Creating Ramadan-Relevant Content

It is a great idea to tailor your content as per the Ramadan theme to connect with your audience and boost viewership. It is an extremely daunting task for many marketers to come up with content that excites viewers, builds connection and encourages them to consider your brand for future interaction. You can harness the power of storytelling to make your content more engaging and connect with a wider audience.

When it comes to creating customized content for your marketing campaign, it is important to make sure the content, discount offers, and design are relevant to users’ specific Ramadan needs. It is key to making your Ramadan marketing campaign a huge success and generates maximum engagement and conversions.

Use Creative Ramadan Symbols

It is important to use special Ramadan symbols, such as dates, crescent moon, lantern, and teapots are a few famous Ramadan symbols that you can use in your advertising campaign. It is a great strategy to increase brand awareness and keep your company on top of your customers’ mind.

Let’s take an example of Coca Cola. The brand came up with a unique Ramadan marketing idea. Instead of updating their logo for Ramadan, they introduced a “no label campaign” in the Middle East.

The brand decided to remove its logos from its cans during the month of Ramadan. The ultimate goal of this campaign is to encourage people not to judge one another.

The no-label iconic Coca Cola cans have one blank side, and the other side reads“labels are for cans, not for people.”The brand wanted to spread the message during Ramadan to forget stereotype and help each other.

It is advised to update your company logo, brochures, flyers, web design and other design material to improve your connection between your brand and customers.

Plan for Eid-al-Fitr

Don’t forget to add Eid-specific discounts and content in your Ramadan marketing campaign to make it a huge success. As users’ shopping intent will increase at the end of Ramadan, it is a great time for marketers to provide users with special deals and offers that will surely encourage them to prefer your brand over others.

Run Video Ads

The usage and consumption of video content increase dramatically during the holy month of Ramadan. Marketers can make the most of this time to run video or banner ads for marketing their products or services. Brands should be cautious when creating ads for their services or products and make sure their advertising campaigns are respectful of Muslim culture and tradition.

Let’s take an example of IKEA, a renowned brand for furniture, lighting and home accessories.

Let us make your Ramadan a little more comfortable this year. pic.twitter.com/vHyDts9CCo

— IKEA UAE (@IKEAUAE) May 6, 2018

The ad is smartly promoting IKEA products by showing the tag line, “let’s make your Ramadan a little more comfortable.”

Promote Your Products at the Right Time

Marketers are advised to make sure their ads are aligned with the religious tradition of Muslims and are always respectful. For instance, if you are a restaurant business, it is not a good idea to run your marketing ads during the day time. In order to get maximum engagement, it is advised to schedule your ads and marketing messages after-iftar time.

Final Thoughts

Ramadan is a time of increased online activity. People use their mobile phones more and spend more. It is a perfect time for brands to create Ramadan-themed campaigns for their customers and take advantage of this shopping season. By following these simple tips, you can create an awesome Ramadan 2021 marketing campaign that will help you gain more user engagement and maximum ROI.